Plans to feature abolitionist and Underground Railroad conductor Harriet Tubman on the U.S. $20 bill have been put on hold once again, marking the latest chapter in a decade-long effort to redesign one of America’s most recognizable banknotes.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently confirmed the Trump administration is “not at present” proceeding with the proposed redesign, which would replace President Andrew Jackson’s portrait with that of Tubman. The decision means the future of the project remains uncertain despite years of planning and public discussion.
The redesign was first announced in 2016 during the Obama administration as part of a broader initiative to update U.S. currency with a more diverse representation of American history. The Treasury Department had originally hoped to introduce the new note in time for the centennial of the 19th Amendment in 2020, which granted many American women the right to vote.
Those plans were delayed during President Donald Trump’s first administration, revived under President Joe Biden and have now been shelved once again.
CANADIAN CONNECTION
The story has a significant Canadian dimension.
After escaping slavery in Maryland in 1849, Tubman crossed into Canada West (now Ontario), eventually making St. Catharines her home. She lived in the city for approximately a decade, from 1851 until the early years of the American Civil War.
During that time, St. Catharines became one of the most important centres of the Underground Railroad. Thousands of formerly enslaved African Americans found freedom in the Niagara region after crossing the Niagara River from the U.S.
Rather than simply settling into her new life, Tubman repeatedly risked her own freedom by returning to the U.S. to guide others to safety. Historians credit her with leading numerous rescue missions, helping scores of enslaved people escape through the Underground Railroad and into Canada.
While living in St. Catharines, Tubman attended Salem Chapel British Methodist Episcopal Church, one of the oldest Black congregations in Canada. The church served as both a place of worship and an important gathering place for the growing Black community in the city. Today, Salem Chapel is recognized as a National Historic Site of Canada and remains one of the country’s most important landmarks associated with the Underground Railroad.
St. Catharines continues to celebrate Tubman’s legacy through educational programs, heritage tours and commemorative events. Her years in the city are widely regarded as among the most significant periods of her life, providing a secure base from which she planned many of her rescue missions into the U.S.
NUMISMATIC TRIBUTE
Although the proposed $20 redesign remains on hold, the United States Mint honoured Tubman in 2024 with a three-coin commemorative program marking the bicentennial of her birth.
The program included a $5 gold coin, a $1 silver coin and a clad half-dollar, each celebrating Tubman’s extraordinary courage and lifelong commitment to freedom. The commemorative coins were authorized by Congress and released independently of the proposed banknote redesign.
For collectors, the commemorative coin program remains the only U.S. numismatic issue currently recognizing Tubman, while the future of her appearance on U.S. circulating currency remains unresolved.
The proposed redesign has become one of the most closely watched banknote projects in recent U.S. history, reflecting not only changes in currency design but also ongoing debates over how the country’s history should be represented on its money.